MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and World Archery have signed an exclusive broadcast deal that will see the broadcast of major international archery events across eight territories of the Indian sub-continent: India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and the Maldives.

The agreement covers the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup season and the 2019 Hyundai World Archery Championships, which acts as the primary qualification event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The profile of Archery in India is rising thanks to world-class performances from athletes like Deepika Kumari, a five-time medallist at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final and star of the Netflix documentary Ladies First, and world number eight Abhishek Verma.

The Indian team announced its line-up for the upcoming international calendar in March. Kumari, Verma and the rest of the Indian world championship team will open the season at the first stage of the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Medellin, Colombia at the end of April.

SPNI Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business Rajesh Kaul said, “Our goal has always been to showcase the best of International sporting events and Sony Pictures Networks is strongly focused in expanding its international sports portfolio as well as growing its sports offerings. We are pleased to announce that we are the official broadcasters of the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup in India where viewers can look forward to seeing the Indian contingent perform and make its mark in this global arena.”

World Archery president Prof Dr. Ugur Erdener said, “Ever since Deepika Kumari’s victory at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Indian archers have come within a few arrow’s widths of claiming titles at the sport’s biggest events. Archery is a sport of precision, patience, and practice – and of rising popularity in the Indian sub-continent, where it is rooted in the region’s culture and history. We expect this new partnership with Sony to leverage the excitement of our international calendar to engage people with archery in the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”